How can I keep my children safe?

October 28, 2012|By Kathy Lauer-Williams, Of The Morning Call

Q: Recently, there have been a number of violent crimes in my neighborhood and I am scared to let my kids out of my sight. When I ask them howthey feel, they tell me that they do not feel scared at all. How can I keep my children safe and make sure they know what to do if something happens?

A: There are several variables that affect what you might do to keep your family safe, the Help for Families panel says. Do you live in the city or the suburbs? How old and responsible are your children?

"Different families feel differently about how much freedom children get at different ages," says panelist Michael Daniels.

If your children say they aren't frightened, it may be they don't feel comfortable admitting they are scared or, if they are adolescents, they may feel they are invincible and don't feel fear, says panelist Denise Continenza.

Talk to your kids and make sure they are comfortable expressing their feelings, panelist Rochelle Freedman says.

Come up with an emergency plan and go over it with your kids says Continenza. Do your kids have cell phones?

"Your children need to be able to reach you in an emergency," she says. "Make sure they know the boundaries of where they can go when you're home, when you're not home and on weekends."

Designate a safe house for when you're not home — a neighbor whom you trust, panelist Bill Vogler says.

"Go over ground rules such as don't go anywhere alone," Continenza says. "Always know where your children are going and when they are going to be home."

If you live in a neighborhood where there is a lot of gangs or drug use, discuss those issues with your children, Vogler says.

"Talk about trusting law enforcement," he says. "There is a lot of fear in high crime areas about talking to the police. Your children should be taught to trust the people whose job it is to keep the neighborhood safe."

Keep tabs on who your kids are with and know your child's friends, Vogler says. Also be aware of how certain clothing can send messages, and make sure your children don't inadvertently wear attire associated with a gang.

Also establish curfews, the panel says. Violent crime tends to happen at certain times — weekends, late at night into early morning.

Talk to the local police about the location of substations, Daniels says.

"Look for some kind of neighborhood organization such as a crime watch," Vogler says. "If the neighborhood doesn't have a crime watch, organize one. Find other parents who are also concerned and connect with them."

Get your children involved in afterschool activities with supervision, Contineza suggests.

"Have regular conversations with your kids and talk about how they feel about what has happened," Daniels says. "It's important to be attuned to your kids."